Fire detector and alarm



Feb. 21, 1939. w. H. SIDDALL ET AL 1 FIRE DETECTOR AND ALARM Filed Oct. 9, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l BY .ea'ww. WTQRNEY Feb. 21, 193%. w. H. S'IDDALL ET AL 2,147,718

F1 RE DETECTOR AND ALARM Filed Oct. 9, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ggvzmor: Z s

v I I ATro'RNEY Feb. 21, 1939. I w. H. SIDDALL ET AL 2,147,718

FIRE DETECTOR AND ALARM VA I '1 Filed- 0m. 9. 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 5 f T If INVENTO s Y Z insuiafz'wz v BY Patented Feb. 21, 193 9 rmc-narncron m ALARM William H; Siddall, Berkeley Heights, Joseph smdall, Newark, and William M. Siddall, In, East Orange, N. J.

Application October 9,

3 Claims.

It is well known that the usemlness of a fire or heat alarm system depends largely upon the maintenance of the system in proper operating condition, and it is highly desirable if not necessary to have easy, quickly and constantly visible means for showing whether the alarm system is in operative condition. It it also well recognized that clocks are usually located in easy and quickly visible positions and are observed many times and by many different persons during the course of the day. The majority of fire and heat alarm systems are electrically operated or electrically supervised, and electric clocks are at the present time in wide use. Therefore, the purpose of our invention is to combine a fire alarm system and an electric clock whereby the clock shall constantly visibly indicate whether the fire alarm system is in proper operating condition, 'and due to the frequent, easy and quick j observation of the clock any impairment of the fire alarm system will be quickly detected and consequently corrected.

Our invention therefore contemplates the combination of an alarm system, a fire detector for controlling the alarm system, and an electric clock including the usual electric motor and the hands driven thereby, whereby operation of the clock shall be stopped upon an impairment of the flow of electricity from the'source through the alarm system, for example upon a break in the circuit or cutting ofi of the supply of electricity, and normal operation of the clock shall indicate that the alarm system is in proper operating condition.

5 Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved combination of an electric clock motor and the hands driven thereby, an electric signal device, an electrical signal initiating mechanism for controlling the signal device, and a fire detectorfor controlling the signal initiating mechanism, said motor, signal device, signal initiating mechanism and fire detector being so connected in an electric circuit that the clock motor and hands normally operate while said circuit and the signal initiating mechanism are in operating condition, and any impairment of said circuit or supply of electricity will be in- I 1936, Serial No. 104,758 (Cl. 177-355) and also as a source of motive power for the coding mechanism.

For the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention we have shown it as including a combination of the fluid pressure so-called rateof-rise type and the thermo-responsive electrical type. The fluid pressure type of system usually includes a loop of fire detecting tubing arranged in a zone to be protected against fire and a signal to be operated by fluid pressure in the tubing, caused by a rise of pressure of the fluid in the tubing as upon the occurrence of heat or a fire in the vicinity of the tubing. The thermc-responsive electrical system includes a temperature responsive circuit controlling device operable normally to change, open or close a circuit upon occurrence of a predetermined temperature in the vicinity of the device, and a signal controlled thereby for actuation when the circuit is changed. According to our present invention the tubing of the fluid pressure system may serve as an electrical conductor both for the thermo-responsive electrical system and for electrical supervision of the tubing, for example as shown in Patent No. 2,027,068 and the copending application of Joseph Siddall and William H. Siddall, Serial No. 742,482. Also, the system may include both heat and fire detectors as shown for example in Patent No. 1,665,381 of April 10, 1928.

Another object is to provide an electrical clock, a rate-of-rise or electrical fire or heat detector or a combination of both, and an electrical signal mechanism controlled by the fire detector, all mounted in or upon the same case or housing, whereby to obtain a compact combination of an electric clock and fire or heat alarm in one and the same unit and such units can be installed independently of each other at desired locations, for example each in a room of a school or a store, so as to serve both as a time-piece and a fire or heat alarm, and wherein the clock shall serve as a monitor or indicator of the operating condition of the fire or heat alarm and will also in dicate, at the instant of operation of the alarm, the time ofthe event.

Other objects, results and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which corresponding and like parts are designated throughout the several views by the same reference characters,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a fire detector and alarm embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is a greatly enlarged front elevational view of the fire detector and alarm with the clock dial and hands removed.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view in partial transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detailed sectional elevational view on the line Ii6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a sectional perspective view of a portion of the insulated tubing.

Figure 8 is a sectional elevational view of the insulated coupler and breather for the tubing of the fluid pressure operated or rate-of-rise fire detector.

Figure 9 is a front elevation on a reduced scale of a modification of the invention.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a further modification, and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view of the insulated wire used in the fire detecting clock shown in Figure 10.

The fire detecting unit shown in Figures *1 to 8 inclusive includes an electric clock which comprises a casing or housing A Within which is mounted an electric motor B of known construction which drives through a chain of gearing C of suitable known construction, the shafts D, E and F on which are mounted respectively the hands G, H and I which are located to rotate over a dial plate K enclosed beneath the usual transparent cover or face plate L. The details of structure of the clock motor, the clock hands and driving connections between the motor and hands are schematically illustrated and may be of any suitable form, no claim to invention being made thereon.

A loop or length of rate-ot-rise fire detecting electricity and heat conducting tubing covered with a heat conducting and electrical insulating sheath generally designated I, is mounted upon and surrounds the casing A on the exterior thereof. This tubing and sheath may be of the same construction as that described and claimed in the copending application of Joseph and William H. Siddall Serial No. 742,482, although preferably the tubing is elongated or elliptical in cross section instead of circular so as to provide a greater surface area for contact with heat waves. The ends of the electrical and heat conducting tubing which may be copper, are extended through the case A into the interior thereof and connected by an electrical insulating coupling 2 which also has a breathing opening 3 to permit communication of the interior of the tubing with the atmosphere. Communicating with the tubing within the casing A is a fluid pressure operated device 4 of known construction which is responsive to fluid pressure generated in the tubing by heating the tubing. This device 4 carries an electrical contact 5 which cooperates with a fixed contact 6 so that normally, that is, with normal temperatures in the vicinity of the tubing I, the contacts 5 and 6 are in engagement, while upon rises in temperature to a predetermined point, the device 4 is actuated to move the contact 5 away from the contact 6.

The loop of tubing I is electrically connected in series circuit with the clock motor B and a source of electricity, the terminals for which are generally designated M. As shown, the source of supply of electricity may be of any suitable voltage, for example volts, the current being passed through a transformer N of known construction, one terminal of the secondary coil of which is connected by a wire or other conductor I to one terminal of the field coil of the motor B the other terminal of which is connected to the contact 6. The other terminal of the transformer secondary is connected by a wire 8 to one terminal of an audible alarm such as a hell 9 the other terminal of which is connected by a wire I0 to the tubing I at the side of the insulating coupling 2 opposite the contact 5. The contacts 5, 6 control a signal initiating mechanism which in turn controls an electrical signal mechanism. The signal initiating mechanism includes a high resistance relay comprising a coil II and an armature I2. One terminal of the coil II is connected to the contact 6 while the other terminal is connected to the wire Ill. The coil of the audible alarm 9 is of low resistance and during normal operation of the mechanism so far described the current flows from the source M through the motor B contacts 5 and 6 through the loop of tubing I, wire I0 and audible signal 9 back to the source without operation of the signal. The high resistance of coil II prevents passage therethrough of suflicient current to energize the coil. Upon the occurrence of temperature above a predetermined limit in the vicinity of the tubing I, the contact 5 is separated from the contact 6 so that the electricity is prevented from flowing through the tubing I and is caused to flow through the relay coil II which is thereby energized to set into operation the signal mechanism about to be described. A similar effect is caused by an impairment in the circuit through the tubing I, for example a break in the tubing.

The armature I2 of the relay has two contact points I3 and I 4 which cooperate respectively with two fixed contact points I5 and I6 insulated from each other. The contact point I 6'is connected to one terminal of a visible signal such as an electric lamp I! the other terminal of which is connected to the return side of the source of supply of electricity. The other terminal I 5 is connected to the return side of the circuit.

The armature I2 is electrically connected to a movable coding switch lever I8 which cooperates with a contact I9 which is connected to one terminal of a resistance coil 20 the other terminal of which is connected to the supply side of the source of electricity. The coding switch lever I8 is normally held out of engagement with the contact I9 by a spring 2| and is caused to engage the contact I9 by a coding wheel 22 of known construction which is driven by the clock motor; for example the coding wheel may be mounted on one of the shafts 23 of the motor gearing, or an additional shaft might be provided for the coding wheel with the driving connection between such additional shaft and the motor gearing. The coding wheel has a plurality of protuberances 24 arranged according to the code as usual which causes intermittent engagement of the lever I8 with the contact I9.

When the relay II is energized upon opening of the switch 5, 6 or upon a break in the tubing, the armature lever I2 is actuated to cause engagement of the contacts, I3, I5 and I4, I8 whereupon the two signals 9 and I! are operated. the audible signal being intermittently sounded by operation of the coding switch I8, I9. The circuit through the contacts I3, I5 and I4, I6 is held closed so long asthe relay I I is energized. It will be understood that the purpose of the resistance 20 is to permit passage of adequate current to operate the two signals 9 and I1 without stopping the clock.

When the relay coil II is energized as the result of abnormal temperature in the vicinity of the tubing I, as upon occurrence of a fire, it will remain energized until the pressure in the tubing I has been reduced to normal by escape of fiuid through the breather opening 3, while when the energization of the coil II is caused by a break in the tubing, the coil will remain energized until the break is repaired.

Preferably the tubing I is utilized as an electrical conductor for a thermo-responsive electrical firedetector, and as shown in Figures 2 and 6, the tubing is formed in two sections connected by an insulating coupling 25, and a thermo -responsive circuit controlling device 26 of lmown construction is connected across the ends of the tubing sections as shown in Figure 6. This structure is similar to that shown in Patent No. 2,027,068. The device 26 is of a form to open the circuit upon the occurrence of a predetermined or fixed temperature in the vicinity of the device, and upon opening of the circuit by said device, the relay coil II is energized and the signals are operated in the same manner as above described.

The dial plate K of the clock may have a transparency 28 bearing the legend Fire" which confined to the clock case.

is normally invisible, and the lamp Il may be arranged in juxtaposition to the transparency so as to illuminate it and disclose the legend.

With this construction it will be observed that the tubing I is constantly electrically supervised, and the clock motor and hands will indicate any impairment in the supply of electricity to the tubing. Also, the clock motor and hands will indicate any impairment of the supply of electricity to the signal initiating mechanism. The.

clock motor will normally operate while electricity is being supplied and while the signal initiating circuit is in operative condition, and stoppage of the supply of electricity and any impairment in the signal initiating mechanism circuit will be indicated by stopping of the clock motor and the hands. Also, by glancing at the clock at the instant of the operation of the signals, the observer may know the time of the event. The clock being in a conspicuous position and frequently observed, any deficiency in the alarm which is indicated by a stopping of the clock will be quickly detected and corrected.

If desired, a signal may be transmitted to a central station by connecting the alarm circuit to the central station as by wires 21.

A modification of the invention is shown in Figure 9 where the tubing is extended throughout a large area to be detected, for example throughout the floor of a building instead of being The structure and operation of the signal is otherwise the same as that hereinbefore described.

Another modification is shown in Figure 10 wherein the rate-of-rise fire detect-or is omitted and the tubing is replaced by insulated electric wire 29 having thermoresponsive circuit controlling devices 39 like the device 26 connected in circuit. In this form of the invention, one terminal of the clock motor winding is connected by a wire 3| to one terminal of the source of supply 32. The other terminal of the motor winding is connected to one end of the fire'detecting conductor or wire 29 as at 33. The other end of the fire detecting conductor is connected to the return side 34 of the circuit to which is also conof the main circuit, as is the lamp I1.

nected the audible alarm in the same manner as the alarm 9. A high resistance relay coil 35 like the coil II has one terminal connected to the motor winding and the other terminal connected to the return side of the main circuit in ply side 3| of the main circuit. The contact 49 is connected to the return side of the main circuit while the contact M is connected to one terminal of the visible'signal 45, the other terminal of which is connected to the return side The coding switch 42, 43 is normally open and isclosed by the coding wheel 46 corresponding to and operated in the same manner as the coding wheel 22. I

The operation of this form of the invention is the same as that shown inFigures 1 to 8 inclusive with the exception that the tubing I is supplanted by the wires 29 and the switch 5, 5 is omitted.

Other modifications and changes in the structure of the combination electric clock and fire alarm will occur to those skilled in the art as within the scope of the invention.

To avoid circumlocution of language, the term "thermo-responsive circuit controller" as used in the appended claims, is intended to include the elements 4, 5, 6 and 26 and 39.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In combination, an electric clock including an electric motor, hands and driving connections between said motor and said hands, an electrical signal device, a fire detector including electrical conductors and at least one normally closedthermo-responsive circuit controller, said motor, said fire detector conductors and said thermoresponsive circuit controller being connected in series circuit with a source of electricity, and an electrical signal initiating mechanism for said wherein said signal initiating mechanism includes a normally open. switch controlling the circuit ,through. said signal device, and with the addition of a coding wheel, a driving connection between said clock motor and said coding wheel, a coding switch controlled by said coding wheel and connected in circuit with said signal device and said switch of the signal initiating device for intermittently opening and closing said circuit through said signal device.

3. In combination an electric clock including an electric motor, hands and driving connections between said motor and said hands, an electrical signal device, a fire detector including a loop of the circuit through said tubing, whereby said signal device will be actuated when said circuit controller is opened or when the circuit through said tubing is impaired, without interrupting operation of said clock motor, and failure of supply of electricity or impairment of the circuit between the source of electricity and said tubing will be indicated by stopping of the clock motor and hands.

WILLIAM H. SIDDALL. JOSEPH SIDDALL. WILLIAM M. SIDDALL, JR. 

